Sunday, August 18, 2013

Run, Part 4

One thing I have learned on the road, is there is a certain type of folk that you can expect at RV parks.

When we first started to RV, it took a little getting used to this group, and everyone does it differently, but soon, we were coming across a pattern, and realized, we were part of that pattern. I decided it was so, when we found ourselves setting up a wire clothes dryer to dry our clothes and towels under Lavern's "dry side". No more finding tree stumps, limbs, and bike handles to air dry out our beach towels. We done travel with a pop up wire clothes hanger to dry our stuff. A sign of a true traveler.

Okay. Back to them RV folk. Where you stay is very important when planning a trip. Just like hotels, there are dives you wish you hadn't been, and gems, where you leave kicking and screaming because you want to stay longer. So far, we have had pretty good luck, give or take a few campgrounds, but have found a niche in camping amongst the "young at heart". The silver haired population that makes up 80% of the RV population.

On our way home on the last leg of our trip, we stopped in Silverton, OR for two nights so we could check out Silver Falls State Park. After a long-ish drive from Bandon, we rolled into the RV park, the "Silver Spur", hot, sweaty, and a bit road weary. I made check in minutes before the office closed at 5, and the man behind the counter told me there was going to be a magic show (!) in an hour, with strawberry shortcake and lemonade, and that we should go.

At a campground? Magic? Sure. We must see this.

After setting Lavern up in the parking lot of a campground, I was surprised that I liked it as much as I did. It was almost full, and we were the weenies compared to the big business that flanked all sides of us. We are talking full on homes on wheels, the big bad **s kinds. No foolin' around. We were the condo, and they were the million dollar mansions.

We made our way to the magic show, and I counted three other people me and Jeremy's age, a half dozen kids or so, and a sea of grey. The men sat with their ladies, and the ladies, well, they were all dolled up. These RV ladies wear red lipstick, play on their cell phones, wear khaki shorts and Hawaiian print blouses, drop words like "hun" and "dear," and wear their hair in long, slim, silver pony tails, or cut short with not a speck of grey. Oh, and Jewelry. They are all blinged up. Rings, earrings, bracelets. They sparkle plenty.

I call these ladies "Magdas." You know, after that fun older lady from the movie "There's something about Mary?" Yes. They are Magdas. Age doesn't matter when you are having fun. I fully intend on being one of them when I grow up.

Anyways, the magic show ended up to be really cute, and the sea of silver whooped and hollered. They loved it, and during intermission, since we stood out like a sore thumb, the couple next to us jumped. After introductions, we learned they have not been "home", which was Florida, for 30 years. Serious road travelers, they have been everywhere. As they talked, I noticed the sparkle in that Magdas eye, and the way her husband slung his arm happily around her. They were having so much fun, and those wrinkles and grey? That was just camouflage. I couldn't believe the youth they exuded. Age is just a state of mind.

I went to bed that night excited about being old and grey with Jeremy. If that is what it looked like, I wanted it. And I went to sleep dreaming of silver ponytails, lipstick and bling. The world seemed better, knowing that this was still going to be an option into my 70's, God willing.

The next morning we explored Silver falls State Park, where their waterfalls put all waterfalls to shame.

Bad news was, I was highly, highly allergic to something that was growing in that forest. I was a complete goobery, saliva-ey, sticky mess, and couldn't go two steps without power sneezing all over the place. I was miserable the whole hike which was long and hard when you can't breathe. I was sure I was going to pass out, but I was too embarrassed to.
By the time we got out of the woods I could barely open my eyes, they were two big puffs on my slobbery face. It was not my best look, but I made myself take pictures, and share with you all, even though my camera could not capture the full beauty of this place:

And, after a long, hot, hike, there was a swim hole at the park to splash in, so Jeremy and I found a shady spot to sprawl under, while Grace found a friend who shared her Pringles with her, and they swam the afternoon away.

Kids are like magnets to each other, and they make friends with each other quickly and easily. Back at the campground, the campground kids ages 5-10 glammed onto each other and formed one big, pulsing, tornado. Soon, a group of them gathered on our little piece of green outside our camper, and played go-fish well into the dusky evening. Strangers to each other just five minutes prior, they played surprisingly well with each other.

Also during our last evening there, one of the Magdas sought us out and walked the camp until she found us, to give us a pint of fresh berries she and her husband had picked earlier that day, and later, another Magda gave Jeremy a handful of fresh plums she had brought with her from her tree back home. Sweet Magdas!! We put them over our granola in the morning before heading back to the mundane. Such a treat.

On this trip we drove 1509 miles. Each mile, each place, like slipping a shiny new memory into the old memory bank. When you run, it's nice to put your head to the wind, go fast, and press forward. It takes so much energy to look behind you.